Research Hub

REAL Compost and Biofertiliser Certification Schemes’ Research Hub

The REAL Compost and Biofertiliser Certification Schemes’ Research Hub is a tool to source funding from the AD and compost industries in order to develop the technical and regulatory aspects of certified digestate and compost production, testing and usage.

Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd (REAL) recognised the need to devise this mechanism in 2016 and the decision was made, in cooperation with the members of the BCS Oversight Panel / CCS Technical Advisory Committee to pursue this initiative in 2017. The Research Hub was launched in March 2018 and the development of the Hub is ongoing.

The Hub will be funded by scheme participants (biofertiliser and quality compost producers) through annual research fees. It will be managed by REAL and its operation overseen by a Research Panel. The Panel will manage the funds and outline the process for appointing organisations to deliver the objectives of projects funded by the Hub. The Panel will also decide which projects will be funded, determine the ways in which the results may be used, and help to disseminate the outcomes.

In the future, these funds will support a wide range of technical projects, including research studies, evidence gathering and gap analysis. The Hub may also fund or contribute towards rewriting protocols for testing digestate and compost and maintaining the industry standards.